Perimenopause is a time of great fluctuation in
hormone levels leading up to menopause. Each woman experiences
perimenopause
symptoms in her own way. Common symptoms of include insomnia,
hot flashes, heavy bleeding, decreased sex drive, momory loss, fatigue,
depression, mood swings, and weight gain. There is ample evidence that
women who have underlying excellent health habits go through this transition, with
fewer symptoms. If you're perimenopausal, and you're experiencing extreme
symptoms, this is a good indication that there are imbalances beyond simple
hormonal ones. This is a good time to consider all the factors that must
balance to create good health and well being. I urge you to improve your nutrition,
be sure to exercise, nurture your emotional health and consider whether there are also potential
imbalances in your digestive, detoxification or immunological system.

During the transition to menopause many
women request that their doctors provide them estrogen, thinking that this will
relieve their symptoms. Unfortunately, with such widely varying hormone
levels from day to day and minute to minute, adding more estrogen to the mix may
do more harm than good. There are no good studies to support any therapy
for perimenopause. As at menopause, the best strategy is to address the
most troubling symptoms, without pharmaceuticals of possible.

A very popular book by Dr. John Lee promotes the use of
natural progesterone by women during
perimenopause and menopause. This treatment, which has not been rigorously
studied, does seem to help many women. There is no evidence that natural
progesterone is dangerous.

There has been confusion about
progesterone because the same studies discredited Premarin also showed Provera
to be quite dangerous. This was not news. The dangers of provera
were clear long before its use in Prempro. Provera is a synthetic
progesterone-like molecule that was intentionally made to be different from
progesterone so that pharmaceutical companies could obtain a patent. When
taking provera, blood tests for progesterone are negative. It is a
progestin, but it is not progesterone. To use the information about the
dangers of Provera to indict natural progesterone, is, I think not wise.
We have no evidence that natural progesterone is dangerous. Further
studies are underway. The Prempro was a huge fiasco prepetrated on
women by a drug company. Overreacting to the information will not help.

Again, before beginning any treatment for menopause or
perimenopause, it is wise to consider whether there are other factors underlying
the symptoms. Life transitions are a good time to increase your awareness of
the many you can optimize your health by making good choices over time.